Troops to Peace Corps

December 19, 2014

Troops to Peace Corps

I propose to be the pathfinder soldier in a program I have named “troops to peace corps” Normally the peace corps require a 4 year degree, however the peace corps recruiter in Washington DC informed me that in some cases a farmer with two years of college will be accepted as this skill set is much in demand.Its possible to do both!

I am a University of Michigan student using the post 9/11 GI bill and majoring in History with a minor in international studies and anthropology.I was called to active duty twice after 9/11 and served mostly at Ft Eustis VA.I have injuries from military service from live fire exercises that limits my lifting and stooping But I have discovered USDA programs for disabled farmers and possibly the VA might be a partner.I am matriculated at UM Flint not at Cal Poly so using VA and Fasha at both would be a problem.I have been in talks with Peace Corps recruiters for a number of years and agricultural skills are of high value as is the undergraduate degree.I already have a good set of knowledge skills on the idea of permaculture.Genesee county land bank is giving away vacant land in the city of flint to farm.This program is an important part of my agriculture plan with habitat for humanity here.After peace corps/UM Flint I would put these practices to work here in the united states as follows;

Did you know? You can buy in your Peace Corps time (27 months) in the civil service pension plan. In my case I already have bought in 5 years of military time in the federal civil service plus about 6 months of civil service time.

So I have 5 +.6 + 2.3 = 7.9 years civil service credit!

Peace Corps is volunteer service like americorp so do not expect to become wealthy, Peace Corps will forgive you of the student loans!

Peace Corps service also will earn you preference in hiring with the civil service but I am told I can’t use my army veteran preference at the same time, that would have been 20 or 25 points out of a hundred

The Armed forces YMCA scholarship for this program asks the following questions; who you are, your Military Service, any disabilities, were you OIF/OEF, What you plan on doing with the education, how come you are not using your GI Bill, Do you own land, will your business be organic? Can you contribute $1500 toward your own tuition?

EDIT 10 January 2015

It should be noted that I sailed on the M/V Marilyn in 2007/2008 charted by the USAID food for peace.We traveled from the Grainery in new Orleans to Maputo and Nacala bay Mozambique

I am well versed in the controversy in regards to delivery of free USDA grain to nations no longer in strife as this creates a dependency and/or disrupts the local markets,I have had this conversation with the Michigan Peace Corps recruiter who knows that I have an interest in the concept of permaculture and its this put into practice is my goal with the peace corps